Liquid delivery systems

ABSTRACT

A liquid-delivery pump system includes a sensor providing a pulse for each fractional volume delivered, a pre-set digital circuit representing the price of said volume, means for passing signals representing said price to up-date a digital register each time said pulse is produced and a digital read-out for said register. A plurality of pumps may use a common register by timedivision. Button-selected total value or total volume may be dispensed or the pump or pumps may be coin-operated.

1 United States Patent 1 1 3,781,534 Bruce-Sanders Dec. 25, 1973 [54]LIQUID DELIVERY SYSTEMS 3,593,883 7/1971 Robbins 222 16 3,187,939 6/1965Hayes 222/76 X [76] lnvenwr- James Frederick Brucesanders 23 3,199,7278/1965 Romanowski.... 235/151.34 x spfmgfield PP ML Gravel", 3,666,928 51972 Burke et a1. 23s/151.34 x Brisbane, Australia 3,633,000 1/1972Bickford 1. 234/151.34 X Filed y 25 1972 3,612,393 10/1971 Jones234/l5l.34 X

1 1 pp 256,788 7 Primary Examiner-Felix D. .Gruber AssistantExaminer-Edward J. Wise [30] Foreign Application Priority Data AtmmeyDnald Jeffery May 26, 1971 Australia 5002 May 27, 1971 Australia 5013[57] ABSTRACT [52] U S Cl 235/151 34 235/92 FL 222/76 A liquid-deliverypump system includes a sensor pro- 222/16 viding a pulse for eachfractional volume delivered, a [5H Int. Cl n Go 15/20 GO6f15/46 367d5/O6- preset digital circuit representing the price of said [58] Fieldof Search 235/151 34 92 volume, means for passing signals representingsaid 222/76' l 6 price to Lip-date a digital register each time saidpulse is produced and a digital read-out for said register. A [56]References Cited plurality of pumps may use a common register bytime-division. Button-selected total value or total vol- UNTED STATESPATENTS ume may be dispensed or the pump or pumps may be 3,598,2838/1971 KI'UIZ 222/14 cgi 'poperated, 3,402,851 9/1968 Ciotti et al.....222/76 X 3,448,895 6/1969 Mesh 222/76 X 7 Claims, 9 Drawing FiguresSHIFT/REG. ADDER AUTOMATIC (FIG 51 B DELIVERY (F167) N R s C 15'5 106103 A K Hfl- M HlHb 1511 INPUT FROM PUMPS F 'DRICE COMPUTATION (1 16.21(FIG 1.)

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LIQUID DELIVERY SYSTEMS This invention relates to gasoline and likepumps, in which liquid is delivered and the cost and volume is recordedon a visual display.

All such pumps include a metering and delivery section and a computationand display section.

The latter section converts revolutions of the metering pump shaft intogallons delivered and cost and feeds these quantities into the display.

Present systems are of three main types:

1. Types using gears of adjustable ratio between pump and computationunit and/or between the computation unit and the displays.

2. Types using mechanical or electronic systems to perform extrafunctions such as coin-in-the-slot delivery. These systems are builtaround existing computor heads, with a great deal of interconnection andinterfaces which tend to be unreliable.

3. Types with which the customer serves himself, the total cost beingpresented on the display.

This invention relates to improved computing and display systems in suchliquid pumps.

It is an object of the invention to provide purely electronic computingand display systems, easily mated with existing metering and deliverymechanisms.

It is a further object to provide such systems which are easily expandedto provide auxiliary automatic features of operation.

A further object of the invention is to economize on computing equipmentby using time-sharing from several pumps to the one computer and thenceto separate read-outs.

In general the invention comprises a liquid delivery pump systemincluding;

a mechanical delivery pump;

a metering shaft on said pump;

a sensor on said shaft deriving a pulse for each predeterminedincremental volume delivered; a digital multiple-gate circuit theoutputs thereof being preset to represent the decimal price of each saidincremental volume;

a digital adder;

a register up-dated from said adder;

a coupling circuit to pass a signal representing said price from theoutputs of said digital circuit to said adder;

an input to said coupling circuit from said sensor whereby said pricesignal is passed to said adder on receipt of each said pulse; I

and a digital visual read-out showing the total instantaneous price heldin said register and the total instantaneous volume delivered.

In order that the invention may be better understood,

a specific embodiment will be described in which two gasoline pumpsshare the major part of the computation circuitry.

The accompanying figures illustrate this embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the system with in terconnections,

FIG. 2 shows the inputs from two pumps,

FIG. 3 shows in detail the timing circuits,

FIG. 4 shows in detail the price computation circuits,

FIG. 5 shows the shift-register and adder circuits,

FIG. 6 shows the switching control circuits,

FIG. 7 shows the automatic delivery circuits,

FIG. 8 is a time diagram of some of the pulses used in the system, and

FIG. 9 shows diagrammatically the read-out circuits of the system.

Referring first to FIG. I, the input unit receives a train of pulsesfrom each pump a single pulse of each train representing a hundredthgallon delivery from its pump.

Two interleaved signals on line F are passed to price computation unit101 and timing unit 102.

Timing unit 102 produces time-division pulse trains fed via line Dl-D3to unit 101.

Unit 101 includes a plug-in unit producing a BCD three digit countrepresenting the price of each (1/100) gallon in lines Ill-H4 to theshift-register adder unit 103 whenever a pulse is received on line F.

Thus the total price is up-dated in unit 103 at each one-hundredthgallon dispensed.

The current total is fed via line J 1-J4 to a visual readout unit 104for display of cost total and gallons total for each pump.

Unit 105 controls automatic dispensing functions whereby either: i

a. A predetermined gallonage (set by push-buttons) may be dispensed;

b. A predetermined dollar value may be dispensed, also set bypush-buttons;

c. The order fill-up can be executed; or

d. Coin-in-the-slot operation may be accomplished.

The switching unit 106 controls the on-off switching and function of thesystem.

Referring now to FIG. 2, 107 and 108 represent sensors for first andsecond pumps respectively. Each sensor may be a disc marked withalternate transparent and opaque sectors fixed to the metering shaft ofthe pump, a light source exciting a photoelectric detector duringpassage of each transparent sector.

The number of sectors are such that a pulse is produced for each (l/l00)gallon dispensed.

fihsi eaqashafttglat s.4 retqlutignsp r gallon there will for example,be 25 transparent sectors.

Referring to sensor'l07, Schmitt trigger 17 squares the pulse, which isthen applied direct to gate 22 and via inverter 18 to gate 19. Gates 19,22 thusreceive opposite polarity signals. Both are strobed via gate 34by a time pulse P1 during the time period allotted to the first pump.Signals from 19, 22 pass to gate 21 which drives flip-flop B2. The Q andQ outputs of B2 go back to inputs of 19, 22 respectively. By this meansB2 controls the pulse produced and prevents drop-out of any pulse whichmay occur, say, as the timing signal P1 is coming on.

The circuit of sensor 108 is precisely similar with gates 27, 28, 29 andflip-flop B3, except that 27, 28 are strobed through 35 during thesecond pump time period by pulse P2.

The outputs of 21 and 29 drive gate 31 to set flip-flop Beforeconsidering the timing circuits of FIG. 3 and the price circuits of FIG.4, reference is made to the time diagram of FIG. 8.

As will be explained below, a 25-bit four channel shift-register is usedin computing.

Time is shared between pump one and pump two, each period having 12four-bit words, representing digits. The gallons are represented by fourdigits (e.g. 13.42 gallons) and the dollar value by seven digits (e.g.$18.23456), the first digit in each P1 and P2 period being a start pulse(t and a spare or phantom pulse occurring on word 13, all as shown inFIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 3, an oscillator 109 feeds a binary B5 via inverter82. The Q andQ outputs of B5 feed gates 83, 84, which each thereforeproduce halffrequency trains which are interleaved.

These are fed through 77, 78 respectively to produce pulses on lines Rand S providing read-in and read-out signals to the shaft-register (FIG.5).

The signals from 83 pass to MSI-S, which is a divideby-l6 counter, andthe output (the t pulse) to the input of flip-flop B6. The Q and Qoutputs of B6 are fed back to MSI-S to subtract 4 and 3v respectivelyfrom the 16 count.

The counter therefore counts 13 in the P1 cycle and 12 in the P2, asindicated in FIG. 8. The P1 and P2 pulses are taken out via gates 89,88.

The BCD count from MSI-S goes to four-line to line decoders M813 andMSI-4, which give 16 pulses, with some outputs unused.

Outputs on lines D1, D2 and D3 give timing for words 2, 3 and 4 (FIG. 8)in the Pl cycle and words 15, 16 and 17 in the P2 cycle, these being thedecimal cents values.

Gate 74 is fed from MSI-3 with a pulse corresponding to the time of word6 (FIG. 8) which gives (1/10) dollar value. Gate 75 is similarly fedwith word 10 pulse representing (1/10) gallon.

Both gates have input on line A from B4 (FIG. 5) indicating an up-datecarry. A pulse occurs on line B for each (1/10) dollar increase in totaland on Line C for each (1 10) gallon.

The pulse on N is the phantom pulse used in FIG. 6 for signalling theend of a period, while line G enters each (1 10) gallon up-date in theregister through 67 which is enabled by pulse on Line F.

Turning to FIG. 4, the lines Dl-D3 are applied in common to terminals110 in groups of four. Between each group of terminals 110 and eachgroup of terminals 111 a plug-in board or a thumb-wheel switch (notshown) sets in the decimal cents equivalent of (U100) gallon (e.g. 424if the price is 42.4 cents/gallon).

These BCD numbers are fed to gates 49-52 for pump two and to 53-56 forpump one and gates 49 through 56 provide one input to gates 41 through48.

Gates 41-44 are readied by the P2 pulse and gates 45-48 by the P1 pulseas shown.

Thepulses F from the pump inputs are applied in common to all gates41-48.

The result is that each time a pulse F is received the price for (1/100)gallon is read-out via gates 61 through 64 to lines I-Il through H4 tothe shift-register adder (FIG. 5).

The numbers for price on the plug-in boards or switches are also takenout to a visual read-out (not shown) on each pump giving the price pergallon.

It will be noted that any change in price can be entered merely byplugging in a different board, and that the two pumps may dispensedifferent grades of petrol at difi'erent prices.

The line G (from FIG. 3) reads in (1/10) gallons to the adder via 65, 68and line H4.

FIG. 5 shows the shift-register and adder circuit. Two two-channel25-bit shift-registers 111 and 112 operate together to give a capacityof 25 four-bit words circulating via MSI-l MSI-2 the lines .I1.l4 andinput gates 36-39.

Incremental price inputs on lines H 1-H4 are fed into MSI-l at theproper times in the cycles and add to the circulating four-bit wordsexpressing the three least significant digits of the dollars total.

Up-dating can cause the two BCD numbers to become a binary number. Toprevent this, gates 69 or 71-72 detect an over 9 count and via enter -6in MSI-2. As is wellknown this converts the binary number back to BCD.

The carry signal on line 113 is passed to the input of binary B4 and istransferred via the Q output to MSI-l at the end of the add cycle foreach word as indicated by a pulse on line K (from FIG. 3) to add 1 tothe next word.

Lines R and S (from FIG. 3) act as shift signals in the register. I v

The added total is passed on lines J1 through J4 to the read-outs (FIG.9).

Signal on line L (from FIG. 6) inactivates input gates 36-39 duringeither or both the P1 and P2 cycles if the corresponding pump isinoperative.

Referring to FIG. 6, SW1 and SW2 are in the position shown when pump oneor pump two is ON respectively (i.e. when the tiller hose is taken offits hook on the bowser). Flip-flop 1, 2 reverses on change of switch SW1and via gates 3, 4, 6, 8 and 15 sets binary B1 to produce a blockingpulse via gate 16 on line L during period P1 if the pump is OFF.

Similarly, switch SW2 produces a pulse on line L during period P2when'pump two is OFF.

Unit 113 is activated by initial switch-on, say at the beginning of adays trading, and sets gate 8, and, via gate 14 passes a two secondpulse signal on line M to gates 20, 23, 24, 30 (FIG. 2) to clear theinputs and the register prior to the first delivery.

Pulse RC is generated by gate 91 (FIG. 7) and automatically resets gates5 and 4 on manual operation.

Signal on line N is the phantom pulse (FIG. 8) and signals the end of acomplete cycle.

FIG. 7 shows circuits for auxiliary functions of pump one. A similarcircuit is provided for pump two.

Signals on lines B and C (from FIG. 3) represent pulses for 35 (1/10)and (1/10) gallon respectively. During period P1, these pulses arepassed via 202 or 204 and 203, 201 to down-count counters 114A, 1148,114A represents cents and 10 cents and 114B dollars or gallons.

Three functions are selectable from keyboard 115:

a. Dispensing of a selected number of gallons. Line 116 is activated bythe gallons button and sets flip-flop 92, 93 to light gallons indicator118 and enable gate 204.

The button selected number of gallons is passed via gates 212-215 to setcounter 11413 to this number.

- When delivery begins, counters 114A and 1143 downcount in (l/ 10)gallon units.

Gates 205-208 detect non-zero numbers in the counter.

Gate 99 provides a signal when (1/10) gallon is reached which, via gate211, operates restrictor valve 1 19 to slow the delivery rate. Gate 210detects zero gallons (i.e. when the selectednumber of gallons has beendelivered) and resets B8 and closes main valve 120 to stop the flow.

A signal on line RC (FIG. 6) is present on manual operation and when thedollars gallons or fill-up button is pressed, causes the register to bereset to zero prior to delivery.

b. Dispensing of a selected dollar value of gasoline. A signal on line117 initiated by the dollar button on keyboard 115 resets flip-flop 92,93, lights dollar indicator 121 and enables gate 202. Dollar value isset in counter 1148 from keyboard 115 and the counters count down untilrestrictor valve 119 is actuated at 25 (1/10) and main valve 120 at zerodollars as before.

c. Dispensing till fill-up of tank by pressing button 122. B7 is reset,disabling 202 and 204 lighting fill-up indicator 123 and directlycontrolling the main valve 120 via line 124 and gate 210. On conclusionof the fill-up, a signal ECR from flip-flop 1, 2 (FIG. 6) returns B7 toits reverse state and switches off the main valve 120.

A fourth function (coin operation) is also available. Coin acceptsignals are applied from line CAI to gate 200 which sets the appropriatemoney amount in counter 114A and 114B. Count down to zero switches offas before. Switch SW3 (being open) latches out the keyboard and manualoperation in coin-operated condition.

Gates 94, 95 reset B7 whenever dollars or gallons are ordered.

On fill-up", a signal is applied to 3 and 12 (FIG. 6) to apply acontinual reset via 36-39 to the register until either switch SW1 or SW2is moved to ON position.

The read-outs, diagrammed in FIG. 9, consist of four banks ofseven-segment decoders the upper two for the first pump and the lowertwo for the second.

Counter total on lines J 1-J4 in BCD form are applied in parallel toMSl-6 and MSI-7 which are activated respectively during periods P1 andP2 by pulses P and Q (from FIG. 3).

The nixi tube anodes are energised in response to pulses applied asshown beneath each column so that they read in their correct timing.

The three left-hand digits read gallons (two digits) and tenths ofgallons (one digit), for example 14.6 gallons. The four right-handdigits read dollars (two digits) and cents (two digits), for example$12.83.

The pulse regime repeats at some 80 times per second, so a flicker-freepresentation occurs.

What I claim is:

l. A liquid-delivery pump system including:

a mechanical delivery pump;

a metering shaft on said pump;

a sensor on said shaft deriving a pulse for each predeterminedincremental volume delivered;

a digital multiple-gate circuit, the outputs thereof being preset torepresent the decimal price of each said incremental volume;

a digital adder;

a shift-register updated by said adder;

a coupling circuit to pass a signal representing said decimal price fromthe outputs of said digital circuit to said adder; 1

an input to said coupling circuit from said sensor whereby said pricesignal is passed to said adder on receipt of each said pulse; and

a digital visual read-out showing the total instantaneous price held insaid register and the total instantaneous volume delivered.

2. A pump system as claimed in claim 1 including;

a manually-set selector selecting a required total value of liquid to bedelivered;

a counter;

means controlled by said selector to set said required value into saidcounter;

a value pulse circuit actuated from said sensor pulses producing a pulseon delivery of liquid of value a predetermined fraction of said totalvalue;

a connection between said pulse circuit and said counter to down-countsaid counter by said fractional value for each said pulse; a detectorfor detecting a zero value in said counter;

and means actuated by said detector for terminating liquid delivery whensaid zero value is detected.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 2 including;

a second detector for detecting a single said fractional value in saidcounter;

and means actuated by said second detector for reducing the rate ofdelivery from said pump on said single fractional value being detected.

4. A pump system as claimed in claim 1 including;

a manually-set selector selecting a required total volume of liquid tobe delivered;

a counter;

means controlled by said selector to set said required volume into saidcounter;

a volume pulse circuit actuated from said sensor pulses producing apulse on delivery of liquid of volume a predetermined fraction of saidtotal volume;

a connection between said pulse circuit and said counter to down-countsaid counter by said fractional volume for each said pulse;

a detector for detecting a zero volume in said counter;

and means actuated by said detector for terminating liquid delivery whensaid zero volume is detected.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 including;

a second detector for detecting a single said fractional volume in saidcounter;

and means actuated by said second detector for reducing the rate ofdelivery from said pump on said single fractional volume being detected.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 including;

a manually-set fill-up selector;

and automatic means for terminating liquid delivery when fill-up" isreached.

7. An assembly of a plurality of liquid-delivery pump systems, eachsystem including:

a mechanical delivery pump;

a metering shaft on said pump;

a sensor on said shaft deriving a pulse for each predeterminedincremental volume delivered;

a digital visual readout showing the total instantaneous price and thetotal instantaneous volume delivered;

a digital multiple-gate circuit, the outputs thereof being preset torepresent the decimal price of each said incremental volume;

a digital adder;

a shift-register updated by said adder;

a coupling circuit to pass a signal representing said price from therespective outputs of said digital circuits to said adder;

an input to said coupling circuit from said sensor whereby said pricesignal is passed to said adder on receipt of each said pulse;

means for interleaving the sensor pulses of all said pumps to form atime-shared pulse train;

I timing means for directing the sensor pulses of each ume thereon.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, DatedDecember 25,

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In tle heading of the patent, on the front page, under item [30] deletethe data of first foreign application mentioned, namely, "May 26, 1971Australia .5002" Signed and sealed this 16th day of July 197 (SEAL)Attest: MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer 7Commissioner of Patents FORM P0-1050,(l0-69) I USCOMM-DC 60376-p59 ".5GOVIRNuINT PRINTING OFFICE I'll Oliiil

1. A liquid-delivery pump system including: a mechanical delivery pump;a metering shaft on said pump; a sensor on said shaft deriving a pulsefor each predetermined incremental volume delivered; a digitalmultiple-gate circuit, the outputs thereof being preset to represent thedecimal price of each said incremental volume; a digital adder; ashift-register up-dated by said adder; a coupling circuit to pass asignal representing said decimal price from the outputs of said digitalcircuit to said adder; an input to said coupling circuit from saidsensor whereby said price signal is passed to said adder on receipt ofeach said pulse; and a digital visual read-out showing the totalinstantaneous price held in said register and the total instantaneousvolume delivered.
 2. A pump system as claimed in claim 1 including; amanually-set selector selecting a required total value of liquid to bedelivered; a counter; means controlled by said selector to set saidrequired value into said counter; a value pulse circuit actuated fromsaid sensor pulses producing a pulse on delivery of liquid of value apredetermined fraction of said total value; a connection between saidpulse circuit and said counter to down-count said counter by saidfractional value for each said pulse; a detector for detecting a zerovalue in said counter; and means actuated by said detector forterminating liquid delivery when said zero value is detected.
 3. Asystem as claimed in Claim 2 including; a second detector for detectinga single said fractional value in said counter; and means actuated bysaid second detector for reducing the rate of delivery from said pump onsaid single fractional value being detected.
 4. A pump system as claimedin claim 1 including; a manually-set selector selecting a required totalvolume of liquid to be delivered; a counter; means controlled by saidselector to set said required volume into said counter; a volume pulsecircuit actuated from said sensor pulses producing a pulse on deliveryof liquid of volume a predetermined fraction of said total volume; aconnection between said pulse circuit and said counter to down-countsaid counter by said fractional volume for each said pulse; a detectorfor detecting a zero volume in said counter; and means actuated by saiddetector for terminating liquid delivery when said zero volume isdetected.
 5. A system as claimed in claim 4 including; a second detectorfor detecting a single said fractional volume in said counter; and meansactuated by said second detector for reducing the rate of delivery fromsaid pump on said single fractional volume being detected.
 6. A systemas claimed in claim 1 including; a manually-set ''''fill-up''''selector; and automatic means for terminating liquid delivery when''''fill-up'''' is reached.
 7. An assembly of a plurality ofliquid-delivery pump systems, each system including: a mechanicaldelivery pump; a metering shaft on said pump; a sensor on said shaftderiving a pulse for each predetermined incremental volume delivered; adigital visual readout showing the total instantaneous price and thetotal instantaneous volume delivered; a digital multiple-gate circuit,the outputs thereof being preset to represent the decimal price of eachsaid incremental volume; a digital adder; a shift-register updated bysaid adder; a coupling circuit to pass a signal representing said pricefrom the respective outputs of said digital circuits to said adder; aninput to said coupling circuit from said sensor whereby said pricesignal is passed to said adder on receipt of each said pulse; means forinterleaving the sensor pulses of all said pumps to form a time-sharedpulse train; timing means for directing the sensor pulses of each saidpump to said coupling means at appropriate times so that said registercontains time-shared digital information of the instantaneous totaldelivery of each pump, and control means on the separate read out ofeach pump actuated by said timing means to select and display theappropriate instantaneous total price and volume thereon.